Dome light

[yellow wagon]

I've owned my Biscayne for over 9 years now and since I've owned it, the car has never had a working dome light. I'm doing some interior clean up and decided to finally look into this. There are NO door jam switches or wiring being the kickpanels. Hmm On the driver's side, I can see the rear lamp harness and the pigtail plug that goes to the dome light. But again, no wiring or door jam switches. Baffled, I called Phil Reed to pick his brain.

Is it possible that a totally stripped out Biscayne wouldn't have door-activated door lighting? I am going to replace the headlight switch and the bulb and see if the switch can illuminate the dome light. If it does, I think its safe to say I learned something new! Did Chevrolet charge extra for door-activated dome lights??

 

[bobs409]

I'd have to say they probably didn't have them. I know the plain jane trucks like my 69 stepside came without those. They were included with the higher end packages like CST, Custom & Cheyenne.

 

[yellow wagon]

Sorry if the pic is sideways for some, its showing correctly on my phone and laptop but sideways on the work computer, go figure. I think you might be right Bob. There is nowhere on the harness in the photo I posted above to even plug in the door jam switch. The harness is stock uncut too

 

[tripower]

Jason,
Is there a delet plug in the door jamb where the switches would be or, is the door jam just blank, no hole for the switch? Post a pic of the door jamb.

 

[chevymusclecars]

My 63 Biscayne had holes for switches in the door jam and only worked from the light switch. That is just the way they were.

 

[yellow wagon]

Jason,
Is there a delet plug in the door jamb where the switches would be or, is the door jam just blank, no hole for the switch? Post a pic of the door jamb.

The holes where the switch could go are there but they are filled with some sort of putty or something. Looks factory. I assume all the jams were exactly the same, just if they got the switches or not.

 

[Phil Reed]

Baffled, I called Phil Reed to pick his brain.

Jason didn't realize that it's been picked to death before he was even born!!!!!

 

[Fathead Racing]

Jason didn't realize that it's been picked to death before he was even born!!!!!

Or maybe just migrated South

 

[Rickys61]

The holes where the switch could go are there but they are filled with some sort of putty or something. Looks factory. I assume all the jams were exactly the same, just if they got the switches or not.

Jason,
My car has a dome light, but no switches at the door, just the little plugs Dan is talking about. The headlight switch turns it on. My 6 cyl 3 speed Biscayne parts car has the switches in the door jambs... The parts car also has a radio, my good car does not..
Rick

 

[61BUBBLE348]

My 64 Biscayne, with factory air and steer only has a drivers side door switch, passenger side has no loom or switch but has the hole.

 

[yellow wagon]

My car has the dome light on the ceiling, just wanted to clarify.

I swapped out the headlight switch but it still doesn't work. Crap. More digging.

 

[yellow wagon]

Well, I'm an idiot. The dome light works great when the switch is grounded

 

[Fathead Racing]

I hate electrical, I'll do it, but I hate it!

 

[yellow wagon]

I'm in the same boat. I think my problem with electrical is that it requires thinking past just installing the part. Is stuff grounded? Is everything plugged in like it should be? Is a wire loose? Gives me a headache.

 

[303Radar]

Well, I'm an idiot. The dome light works great when the switch is grounded

I like problems with simple solutions. What I hate is, sometimes the easier the solution, the longer it takes to hunt down a solution.

 

[61belairbubbletop]

Jason,
Did you actually run a ground wire, or just clean up where the switch attaches to the dash ?

 

[yellow wagon]

I feel like an idiot admitting this but I will. I wasn't thinking and when I pulled the old switch out, I left it hanging under the dash. Replaced the old switch with a new one and tried it. Headlights, parking lights worked great. No dome light.....because it wasn't grounded. Took me about 30 min to realize that, re-install the switch and give it a try. Worked right away. Did I mention I hate electrical? Probably because it makes me look like an idiot....a lot!

 

[tripower]

If you look at your old switch you will most likely see Carrosion on the reastat that turns for the dash lights/dome light. If you clean that most likely it will work fine.

 

[yellow wagon]

Oh yea I already thought about that Dan. The new switch is working good for now but I never throw away these original GM parts. I'll play around with it this weekend. Might just need to be worked some

 

[blkblk63ss]

Don't feel bad Jason , I talked to a guy at a mini car show on the week end . He said he could not get the one front signal light to work on a older t bird ,like clyde's. He checked and replace wiring still no workey.He had been fighting that at least two different car show'w i talked to him .He told me he finally found it, no bulb in the socket.